It’s the fair thing to do

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Our annual get-together called the Madera District Fair is in full swing with bright lights, fun rides, exhibits, food and drink. If you get hungry or thirsty while you’re strolling around, try to stop at a service club booth, like Lions, Pan-Am, or Rotary to name a few. The proceeds from those fine local groups go to their many community betterment projects and youth activities right here in Madera.

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After you frolic at the fair Saturday afternoon with the fun and livestock auction (thank you Madera Kiwanis Club), save enough energy for the Italo-American Club’s Fall Frolic Dinner Dance at their hall on South D Street. Twenty bucks gets you a barbecue chicken dinner and pasta (of course) with all the trimmings.

The frolicking (?) starts at 6 with social hour and dinner and dancing until 11. This scribe’s lovely classmate, Karen Faso East said, “we’ll work with last minute guests.” Don’t quite know what the always affable Karen means when it comes to all that frolicking, but it must be good with the police station almost right next door.

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Getting to the carnies. Peter Drakos, otherwise known as Peter Magic, began playing carnival games at age 9. He immediately noticed, as did the carnies, that he possessed a certain uncanny skill level. As he became an adult, he said, “I developed certain techniques at all the throwing games — darts, quarters on plates, etc.” Drakos once won 200 animals in two hours. So what does he do with all those stuffed creatures? ...